


A lot is going to change

by Morethanwordsexistinthemind



Category: The Last Kingdom (TV)
Genre: F/M, Slow Burn, Time Travel, relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:42:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25934590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morethanwordsexistinthemind/pseuds/Morethanwordsexistinthemind
Summary: A woman out of time, a healer is saved from circumstance and then slowly builds a life for herself.
Relationships: Finan (The Last Kingdom)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 29
Kudos: 96





	1. The Bitch

‘Bring out the Bitch.’

‘Who?’ Uhtred raised his eyebrows to Finan.

‘The fighter you are going to go up against’ smirked Sigfried pointing at him. ‘You want us to leave Lunden, you will fight the bitch. If you lose the Bitch goes free like the priest here!’

Finan stepped forward, a firm look on his face and menace in his eyes. ‘I am Uhtred’s man, I will fight in his stead.’ 

Sigfried stared him down for a moment and then his face split into a grin and he laughed. ‘Of course, of course.’ He continued laughing as he shouted for his men to bring the Bitch.

Finan moved into the square and waited. Soon the men gathered around one corner of the square parted and two men were dragging a dirty, bedraggled waif snarling and kicking viciously towards the centre. Finan let his face fall into a nonchalant visage. They wanted him to fight what looked like a woman. From what he could see she was barely wearing undergarments. Tight breeches and a sleeveless vest but they were ripped and filthy. Feet bare and dirty. Completely indecent for a woman.

But she was acting like a wild thing, one of her flailing legs caught the chest of one of Sigfried and Eric’s men giving him a serious enough swipe to send him staggering back in the crowd. At that the woman stopped thrashing and threw her head back laughing maniacally. The men brought her in front of Sigfried and he grabbed her viciously by her hair.

Sigfried studied her face for a moment and then snarled at her. ‘You win and you go free.’ She stopped moving at this, staring deeply into Sigfried’s eyes looking for falsehoods. Apparently seeing none she relaxed her whole body, resigned to what was happening. The men holding her let go and Sigfried passed her a saex.

The woman seemed to weigh it in her hand, looking at the dagger in great depth. Then suddenly those eyes met Finan’s, deep brown like his own but sad. She walked towards him and stopped a few steps from him.

Finan unsheathed his sword and his own saex, he weighted them in his arms and took a casual stance. The woman crouched with the saex in an underhand position. 

‘To the death!’ shouted Sigfried.

‘To first blood.’ said Uhtred calmly. Finan nodded.

‘Yeah, I’m not killin’ a woman.’

Said woman remained crouched wary of what was happening, looking backwards and forwards to the speakers. ‘Will my freedom be promised if it is to first blood?’

Finan’s eyes snapped to the woman’s deep amber eyes. Her voice was melodic and strange if not a bit hoarse. He then looked at Uhtred, Sigfried and Eric in turn. ‘And if I win you leave Lunden?’

Sigfried looked at Eric and shrugged. ‘Yes, yes!’ He laughed which gave Finan pause. This woman must be skilled if the brothers are willing to bet their place in Lunden.

‘Now fight!’ He shouted.

Finan’s eyes then never left the woman’s as he took up a fighting stance, swung his sword a couple of times and advanced on her. 

The woman watched Finan, noting his balance and his strength. I’m well and truly fucked if I’m not quick, Sigfried won’t let me live through this if I lose. She cleared a feint that Finan set up by ducking and moving behind him quickly. He span round with a swift grace but she was quicker and got in close knocking the sword away with her underhanded saex and swiftly kicked him in his right knee. He buckled slightly but recovered quickly, she was already moving bringing the pommel of her saex down on his hand sharply with all her force. It hit the soft fleshy part of the hand between the thumb and forefinger.

Finan winced at the blow to his hand, she was quick but he’d been slightly holding back. The saex dropped from his numbing hand but he was already swinging his sword around towards her. She ducked and rolled, grabbing his saex on the way, she pulled up and went on an even quicker offensive. She was a blur, deftly batting his swinging sword away with one saex and ducking, as she tried to find an opening with the other. 

She was going to get tired soon. She had to find a way to end this. They said it wasn’t to the death but to first blood. Did it have to be a big wound? She didn’t know. Just then she saw her opening as she ducked yet another swing by the man in front of her. Coming up from her duck she put the full force of her knee into his stomach and then again into his balls, slashing his upper arm close to the shoulder with one of the daggers she held in her hands. She then swiped his legs out from under him, he hit the ground hard. Before he could move she pinned him with a knee and her full weight, and placed the saex in her right hand at his thigh next to where his femoral artery would be.

They were both breathing hard and watching each other. She was scared. He seemed slightly shocked perhaps that she had gotten the better of him. There was silence all around.

Once she had gotten her breath back she spoke. ‘I’m free to go.’ She didn’t phrase it as a question but as a statement in her strange accented voice.

Uhtred stepped forward from where he was standing. ‘She is free to go with us if she chooses.’ 

The woman’s head whipped round at that and she stared straight into his blue eyes taking stock of him, measuring his words. Finan still pinned under her knee was watching her. His arm was throbbing with the cut and his gut and balls had certainly seen better times. He fidgeted under the woman’s knee. She flinched then, her eyes meeting his. Was that remorse and regret he saw? She pushed herself up using her hands, not putting any more weight on the knee that was holding him down. She gracefully straightened and then held a hand out for Finan. He looked at it and then at her, then he shrugged and smiled an easy smile, took her hand. She put weight behind her pull and helped him to stand. 

Seeing the easy smile on his face put her at ease, though she looked worryingly at his arm.  
‘It is nought but a scratch.’ He said in a soft Irish lilt. The woman smiled at him slightly almost shyly.

Sigfried huffed angrily but again like with the priest before Eric said she could go. Uhtred stepped in front of her now looking her up and down and stated. ‘You are coming with us.’ 

It wasn’t a question and the woman knew again she had no choice. Looking down at her hands still holding the saexes there was no weighing up of options. She could stay with the brothers but likely they would kill her now or worse. Or she could leave with these men more unknown times ahead, you’d think she’d be used to them considering. 

She held out the hand holding Finan’s saex to him, he took it his fingers gently moving against hers. The other one she kept, fuck If Sigfried was going to get it back.

Another man came forward then with light chin length curly hair. ‘And Lunden? You will take no money to leave?’ He seemed peeved with what was happening.

Sigfried snarled at him but it was Uhtred who answered. ‘We lost Aethelred. We must now leave.’ A few men turned to go, with one last look at the woman and a flick of his chin Uhtred turned and started walking.

The woman hesitated until there was a light pressure on her elbow. She flinched and turned her head bracing herself. Finan held his hands up but still that smile stayed on his face. ‘Come lady let us take you from here.’ 

The woman smirked after the word ‘lady’ and quietly said ‘Gwen.’ Like it was a long forgotten word. 

‘Gwen? Is that ya name?’ Finan’s smile grew slightly. But Gwen was already following Uhtred and Finan walked after her.


	2. Up River

They were on a boat sailing up the Thames. Gwen was thinking about what had happened to her. She was a woman out of time, having found herself wandering the woods outside Lunden but she did not know how she had gotten there especially not from the year 2020. 

She was still wearing the clothes that the brothers and their men had found her in black leggings and a grey vest that she had been jogging in before waking in a strange environment. She lived in modern day London, out in Greenwich. She wondered more than once if she had fallen and hit her head, and this was all some delusion. That this was all a coma or she was unconscious and it was a dream.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a flask and a hunk of bread. She followed the hands that held them and it was the man she had fought. Finan. He sat himself down in front of her.

‘Will ya eat and drink?’ He asked gently. His eyes searching hers.

She reticently reached out for the bread and flask. Took the stopper out of the flask and sniffed it not wanting to drink something unknown or alcoholic.

‘It’s just water.’ He said knowing what she sniffed it for.

Gwen took a large swig of cool water. It felt heavenly and tasted fresh. Then she took a bite out of the bread. It had been the first thing she had eaten today. Her eyes fell to the wound on Finan’s arm.

He had moved his eyes from her face looking out over the water. Noticing how she attacked the bread after taking the first bite. ‘Did they not feed ya?’

Gwen snorted at that. ‘Not much, just enough. Though I’d kicked a man in the balls last night for trying to touch me so they hadn’t fed me today.’

Finan chuckled at that, still looking out at the water. He appreciated her candidness and wondered how she had gotten into the hands of the Brothers.

Gwen kept eating and intermittently taking swigs from the flask. She studied him under hooded eyelids. She thought he might be trying to avoid eye contact so she felt more comfortable. Finally he said ‘Aye ya have a vicious kick on ya.’

Gwen couldn’t help laughing lightly at that. ‘I’m sorry.’ Her eyes dropped to the bread in her hand, and then after taking another bite resumed looking at Finan. She found him staring at her curiously.

‘It was nothing. Ya got a kick like a horse but I’ve had worse.’

With bread still in hand she raised it as if going to her mouth but pointed to his arm where the knife wound was. ‘Can I look at it?’

He looked at her sideways then. Eyes thinking to slits. ‘Wanna look at ya handiwork?’ He said in mock seriousness unable to keep a small smile from his lips.

Gwen couldn’t help the smile that formed on her lips as she finished the bread. She turned putting her hand over the boat’s side and washed her hands as thoroughly as she could. It felt good to get the grime off. ‘No. I feel bad and I want to make sure it’s going to heal ok.’ Shaking off the moisture on her hands. She shuffled closer to him, her hands held poised to touch his arm.

Finan sighed and offered his arm. Knowing That the seriousness in her voice meant that she wouldn’t let this drop. ‘Are ya a healer?’

Gwen parted the cloth of the sleeve to take a closer look at the wound. Prodding it with her fingers around the edge of the wound taking note that it was indeed a scratch and would not need stitches. Satisfied she sat back to find that he’d been watching her the whole time with curiosity.

‘It’ll be fine. Doesn’t need stitches. Just make sure it’s cleaned well whenever we get to where we’re going.’

‘I told ya it was just as scratch. So ya are a healer?’

Gwen thought carefully, she supposed she was. In modern times she was a trained and qualified midwife of 3 years. She knew enough of wounds to be thought of as a healer. She looked at her hands. ‘Yes, I guess I am.’ 

‘You sure fight more like a warrior.’ 

Gwen laughed sadly at that. ‘I am no warrior. Just someone with some skill and without a death wish.’

‘Ya did well to best me.’

Gwen looked him sternly in the eye. Was he being facetious on purpose or trying to stroke her ego. ‘You weren’t trying that hard to best me.’

Finan shrugged and gave a small smirk. ‘Tried hard enough.’ He cleared his throat and shuffled in his seat a bit, like he was anxious to ask what he wanted to next. Gwen just looked at him as openly as she could. ‘How did ya come to be a captive of the brothers?’

She was taken aback by this line of questioning. That wasn’t what She thought he was going to ask. She tried to think how to answer. She couldn’t tell the complete truth. That she was a woman from the 21st Century who had somehow slipped through time. They would think she was insane at best. 

‘Yes how?’ Uhtred had moved up the boat to sit in front of them. Gwen eyes him warily. Finan had earned some small modicum of trust but Uhtred was still an unknown, as were all the men here. Gwen felt herself shrinking away, taking a defensive posture.

Finan smiled at her gently and Uhtred relaxed back into his seat. They were both giving her space. Space they knew she needed. How did they know she needed it? She read patience in their faces and felt a solidarity there.

‘I was erm walking outside of my home.’ She didn’t think that jogging would be a pastime here. ‘And I think I may have fallen and hit my head. Or maybe someone took me but I found myself in a wood not far from where the brothers kept me.’ She paused to think on how to continue ‘I was stumbling around it for a couple of hours, not knowing where I was or how I got there. When the brothers and their men came upon me and took me. At first they locked me up. I wonder if they didn’t actually know what they were going to do with me. One of the guards got restless and came to erm to erm.’ I was stuttering over the words. The man had come to rape me but I couldn’t get those words out. ‘Anyway I fought him, nearly bit his knob off, managed to bite his earlobe off.’ 

Finan interrupted Gwen. ‘His knob?’

Not used to the modern colloquialisms for penis. Finan and Uhtred stared at her. Gwen was taken aback for a minute. ‘His erm his penis? His prick? His cock?’

Both Uhtred and Finan stared at her for a beat and then cracked into the most raucous laughter. Gwen giggled with relief. Uhtred was still laughing but trying to control it he waved her to continue.

‘Anyway after that they referred to me as the Bitch, if I was going to act like a dog then I would be treated as one. I was made to fight. They said if I had that much fight in me that they should see it and that maybe one day I would end up free.’ Gwen had doubted that. Had thought that what they meant by free was dead.

Uhtred and Finan probably thought the same as they had stopped laughing and looked serious. ‘Who did they make ya fight?’ Finan asked.

‘Mostly other prisoners. Sometimes priests. A few of their own men, that maybe they were weeding out the weak ones.’

Finan gaffawed at this. ‘They wouldn’t have been that weak. Ya fight like a damned she-devil.’

‘He’s right. You bested him and he is a great warrior.’ That sounded like pride.

‘He wasn’t trying.’ Gwen insisted again. And he hadn’t she could tell that he could have been faster and stronger than he had been with her.

‘He was trying well enough. I just don’t think he’s had that much experience fighting women.’ Uhtred said seriously.

‘Only in play.’ Finan winked at Gwen.

Gwen rolled her eyes at that. ‘Where are we going? Lord?’ She said to Uhtred. It was obvious he was in charge but was he a Lord? She didn’t know but felt it was probably a good idea to treat him with the utmost respect.

Uhtred studied her. She was slender but obviously well built, her time with the brothers was obviously thinning her out though. Her hair was probably brown but he couldn’t tell under the tangled, dirty mess that was it’s current state. She had sharp, round brown eyes that seemed to take in everything in a soft round face. He didn’t regret that she had won against Finan. Having been a slave and a captive himself he did not wish that existence on anyone.

‘We will be going to Wintancaester to relay what has happened to the King and then we’ll see what happens then.’ Uhtred looked over the water to the bank. He was thinking.

Gwen turned to Finan. ‘Who is the King?’

Finan looked at her strangely, like she had two heads. ‘The King of Wessex is Alfred.’

Gwen tried to hide the surprise on her face. Wessex? Alfred? Shit. She thought. She knew that she was not in her time and that she was back somewhere long ago but she knew from history at school that this, the time she was in now was the 9th Century. Gwen put her head in her hands and started crying softly. She was well and truly fucked. The men left her then. Moving away softly to give her time and space.


	3. To Coccham and a haircut

They reached their destination at some point later. The boat gently thudding against the dock startled Gwen to waking. She rubbed her eyes and tried to stretch the stiffness from her back. Looking around everyone was in motion. Most of the men were on the docks already either moving off into the village or helping secure the boats and move belongings. Gwen stood shakily but nearly fell over, stumbling forward strong arms gripped her elbows to straighten her. Looking up Gwen found herself staring into Finan’s eyes. She blushed sleepily at his wide smile. 

‘Not gotcha sea legs?’ He helped her on to the docks.

She snorted ‘Hardly a sea, just a river. Sorry that was about the deepest sleep I’ve had since ... since ...’ she let her words trail off. Finan gave her a look of understanding and a small squeeze of the elbow he still had a hold of. ‘Where are we?’ Gwen said to change the subject.

‘Coccham.’ Finan said ‘this is Uhtred’s land. We’re stopping here for a bit and then going on to Wincantcaester.’ 

‘So he is a Lord then.’ Gwen said following Finan beyond the wooden walls and into the village. She drew lots of stares from people. Gwen knew that she looked strange. She tried to keep her head down and just follow but Finan slowed so he was walking beside her.

‘Aye. He’s a Lord. Ya did good to acknowledge it though it didn’t seem to come easy to ya.’

‘We have Lords where I’m from I’ve just never met one.’ Gwen again thought of her appearance and how strange she must look. As if by reading her thoughts Finan agreed.

‘Ya look mighty strange. Like a wild thing that had been rolling in dirt. Also just slightly indecent.’ Gwen looked up to see a mischievous grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

She looked down at her body. Her clothes were modern clingy fabric. Her cleavage was showing. She must have looked like she was in undergarments. Rubbing her forehead at the beginnings of a headache. ‘I need to wash and get some clothes.’ She touched her hair lightly knowing it must look like a nest for some animal.

‘Aye we’ll get ya those. I’m taking ya to Sister Hild.’

‘Sister? As in Nun?’

‘Aye.’

Gwen shuffled nervously. She’d never met a nun before. They weren’t all that common in her life before but her idea of them was of stern matronly figures.

Finan seemed acutely keyed into her discomfort as had been evident since Lunden. ‘She’s a good and pious woman if not a bit heathen in her ways. When I first met her she was fighting alongside Uhtred.’

This made Gwen stop walking and gape at Finan.

‘Come on.’ He said as he carried on walking.

They reached Hild’s lodgings as she was coming out of the doorway. Hild smiled at Finan, he greeted her with a tight embrace. ‘Hild, this is Gwen.’ Finan moved away from Hild showing Gwen behind him.

All of a sudden Gwen was shy. After everything that had happened. The shock of her circumstances was now coming to the fore. But she needn’t be shy. Hild gave her a warm smile and embraced her. 

‘I’m sorry.’ Gwen said quickly ‘I must smell atrocious.’

Finan laughed at that and then bade them farewell, saying that Uhtred would like Gwen at the main hall within the hour.

‘Well we better get you cleaned up and presentable then.’ Hild beaconed Gwen to follow her after quickly ducking into her small home grabbing a change of clothing and some other items.

Hild led Gwen to a very secluded area just outside the village walls where a stream fed into the river. She passed Gwen the change of clothes that she held and assured her no one would bother her.

Gwen went down the embankment to the edge of the stream. Still feeling strain in her body she quickly stretched out using some yoga poses and a couple of sun salutations before stripping and wading into the stream. The water was freezing but Gwen thought it felt so luxurious. She knelt and then sat so that it came up to her round breasts. Leaning back she ran her fingers through her hair as best she could. Massaging the filth off of her scalp and the knots from the tresses.

When not in it’s animal nest state Gwen had long thick curly hair. This was a nightmare situation. The ends were so knotted and matted she was never going to get it sorted like this. So she did the best she could sorting from the scalp to where her hair went just past her shoulder blades. She’d have to cut the rest off. Quickly after that she washed the rest of the grime from her body and felt more like her old self. She had been lucky. So very lucky. And now she was free. She started weeping, which soon turned into body wracking sobs and wailing.

Hild came to the edge of the embankment her face etched in worry. Gwen saw her and waved her hand. ‘I’m fine, I’m fine.’ She gasped and shuddered between sobs. Hild gave her a look like she was a lunatic and then went back to where she had been waiting.

Soon enough Gwen stopped crying and scrubbed her face in the stream hoping to remove any sign she’d lost it like that. She got out of the stream and used the length of cloth that Hild had given her to dry herself. Trying one last vain effort to salvage the length of her hair (which had been down to her waist when wet), she raked her fingers through it as best she could but she was going to loose a good 3-4 inches of it.

She put the dress on that was given to her. It was a grey coarse fabric with little shape. Hild had given her leather belt as well though as Gwen had guessed she had spied the saex in her hands and knew she would need somewhere for it to go. Cinched at the waist the dress wasn’t too bad, slightly too tight round the bust, not something Gwen was used to. If she was going to stay here she would need to source fabric and tools to make her own dresses which she had the skill to do. She pushed the saex carefully through the belt near to the hip being careful not to cut the dress

She walked up the embankment to meet Hild. ‘Thank you. Do you have any scissors? Shears?’

Hild smiled. ‘I thought you might have need.’

Gwen smiled back and took the shears from Hild’s hand ‘Thank you.’ She said as she bent at the waist flipping and scraping her hair forward. She pulled it into a ponytail at her forehead, twisting it twice tightly. Thinking about how she was going to do this without a hairband Gwen asked Hild to hold the hair tight where it was twisted. Hild obliged and Gwen set to hacking at the 4 inches of knotted hair at the ends. 

‘Thank you again.’ Gwen said allowing Hild to let go of her hair. She flipped it back, raking her fingers through the curls starting to form. Twisting the large clumps of hair around her fingers and allowing it to part in it’s natural way. It was starting to dry ever so slightly and the curls would sit just past her shoulders.

‘You have beautiful hair.’ Hild said smiling at her.

Gwen smiled. ‘It is often a pain in my arse but I wouldn’t trade it.’ Gwen’s face then dropped when she realised she had sworn at the nun. 

Hild chuckled ‘I have heard worse. Come, let’s get to the hall. It has been over an hour.’


	4. Of Horses and Heights

They reached the hall after a while. Gwen felt a slight shudder of nervousness but Hild squeezed her forearm and led her in. She didn’t know what she had expected but it wasn’t what she saw. The hall was all wood, rugged and warm. A long table was towards the back and Uhtred sat at the head of it. Finan stood to his left and another man, Gwen thought she had heard him called Sihtric stood to the right. Other men sat at the table.

Hild walked to Uhtred smiling and as he stood from his seat she hugged him. Gwen followed a bit behind. Uhtred looked past Hild after their warm greeting and stared at Gwen. In fact they were all staring, except for Hild who was taking a seat at Uhtred’s right.

Gwen’s eyes met Finan’s after glancing at Uhtred and there was something unreadable there for a second before they just became warm and friendly.

‘Gwen I see you have been able to get cleaned up and presentable.’ Uhtred smiled teasingly at her. He raised his hand to his left and bade her to sit.

‘I have. Thank you Lord.’ Gwen sat down stiffly as the dress hampered her movement. Finan sat down at her left and Sihtric sat next to Hild. Food of some type of bird, maybe chicken, bread and cheese was in front of Gwen. Her stomach grumbled.

Finan chuckled. ‘Are ya hungry?’ 

Gwen glowered at him slightly and looked to Uhtred who signalled to everyone to eat. Gwen started to pick ravenously at her food, feeling like she had never tasted anything so good in her life. After a couple of minutes she slowed down her body telling her that she hadn’t had so much food for a while. She grabbed her cup and sniffed it.

‘It’s ale.’ Finan said between his mouthfuls. 

Taking a small gulp Gwen realised she liked it. It tasted akin to the ale that she had occasionally drank in her own time. After a little more time drinking and eating. Gwen realised Uhtred had been watching her.

‘Gwen you have a home here if you would like it. If you are sure there is no way back to your own. Finan says you are a healer? We could use one here.’ Uhtred said kindly.

Gwen looked at Finan and then at Uhtred. ‘There is no way back to my home. I do not know the way. I would be grateful to stay here.’ Gwen swallowed past a lump that had formed in her throat and willed herself not to cry again. ‘I am a healer of sorts Lord. I am a midwife, a birth attendant. I know some herb lore and how to deal with wounds.’ It was true herbalism had been an interest of hers.

Uhtred smiled. ‘You will be of use to us then. We can allocate you a place to live. But first you must come with us to Wincantcaester.’ 

‘Yes Lord.’ Gwen didn’t know why she would have to go. Or how she would. 

Uhtred saw the puzzlement on her face. ‘Alfred will want an account of what happened. He will want to meet the woman who lost him his chance of ridding Lunden of the brothers.’

‘I..I...I did not mean..’ Gwen stuttered but the whole room seemed to burst into laughter. She looked around mortified. Hild spoke up for her though.

‘Uhtred do not torment the girl.’ She chided softly.

‘It is alright Gwen, Uhtred is only messing.’ Finan bumped his shoulder gently into hers.

Uhtred stopped laughing. ‘We will leave in an hour to get onto the road to Wincantcaester. We’ll have a few hours of daylight to make a good way. Can you ride Gwen?’

Gwen made a face. She disliked horses. ‘No Lord I can not.’ Uhtred made a sly smile at her and then gave Finan a look above her head.

‘You will ride with Finan then.’

Gwen nearly choked on her ale. She looked at Uhtred and then to Finan, blushing slightly. Goddamn her expressive face. Gwen mumbled a thank you and went back to quietly eating her food. Listening to the preparations of travel.

Soon enough it came time to pack up, saddle up and be on their way. Hild gave her a bed roll of furs and skins, and a cloak to wear when it was cold. At the moment it was summer and the weather was warm. Hild also told her that there were under garments in the roll as she had not given her any previously thinking she had possibly had some. Gwen gave Hild a tight embrace and thanked her again. She seemed to forever be saying thank you to the nun. Hild squeezed her arms gently and led her to where Finan was waiting with his horse. 

Finan took the bed roll and cloak. He also held his hand out. Gwen didn’t know what he wanted until he eyed the saex at her waist. ‘Ya won’t be able to ride with it at ya waist belt like that. Ya likely to cut yourself badly. Or worse stab me with it. We’ll tuck it into your bed roll.’

Gwen didn’t like it. The weapon felt like a safety net to her. Finan sensed her hesitation and gave her a reassuring smile. Disarmed as much by the smile as by giving him her saex Gwen handed it’s over. He did as he said he would and tucked it in to her bed roll. He then secured the bed roll to the extra horse they were taking.

Finan then walked up to Gwen. He stopped in front of her but was standing so close that Gwen felt overwhelmed. She nearly stepped back but stood her ground.

He eyed her expectantly. She gave him the stink eye, feeling really frustrated. ‘What is it?’ She snapped.

He just smiled. ‘I’m waiting on ya to get up on the horse.’

She made a face and scoffed at him. ‘And just how am I meant to do that?’

That made his smile deepen. His smile really should not be allowed. Despite everything. Despite her annoyance. Gwen felt heat pool in her stomach. ‘Well ya get up in the saddle.’ 

‘I don’t know how. Like do you want me in front? In back? How am I going to get up on something that high in this dress?’ She was starting to really lose her cool. She hated any form of heights. Even standing on a chair was sometimes too much for her. And she really disliked horses. Any horse she had met had tried to take a bite out of her. This was a shit time to be in.

Finan took her arm gently and guided her to stand next to the stirrup. ‘You’re gonna put your right foot into the stirrup, you know what a stirrup is right?’ She rolled her eyes at him in exasperation. ‘Then you’re gonna put your weight onto that right foot grabbing the saddle, pulling yourself up slightly and I will take your left foot in my hand and hoist ya into the saddle. Good?’

Gwen nodded. She hated this but it was necessary. The others were getting restless. Before she put her foot in the stirrup Finan added that she should then shift forwards so he could sit behind her. She nodded again putting her weight on the stirrup and pulling up. Finan did as he said and she was up and onto the saddle. He then leapt up behind her with absolutely no effort.

He reached around her and took the reigns. Their bodies met in multiple places, fogging Gwen’s thoughts, she hufffed out an exasperated sigh and fidgeted to get comfortable. A chuckle and warm breath tickled her ear.

‘Take hold of the horses mane, gently like.’ And Finan kicked the horse into walking following Uhtred and his mount.


	5. The road to Wincantcaester

They’d been on the road for about an hour when Gwen started fidgeting. Her arse was chaffing against the scraping of the cloth of her skirt and the movement of the horse.

‘Have ya never ridden a horse before?’ The soft breath and gentle but deep voice hit her ear. 

Gwen turned her head slightly and could just about see Finan out of the corner of her eye. He moved slightly so they could look at each other better. He still had amusement in his eyes. 

‘Maybe once or twice as a child. Just short little goes. But never had a need really.’ Gwen just kept thinking about all the horses she met that tried to bite her. She shuddered gently. And faced forward ‘Mostly horses I’ve met just seem to want to take a bite out of me.’ 

Finan chuckled warmly in her ears and then he was spluttering. ‘Ya hair is trying to choke me for laughing.’ One of his hands let go of the reigns and he smoothed her hair down at the back of her head. 

Gwen stiffened slightly at the touch. ‘And so it should. That’s what you get for laughing. I’d do something about it but I’m shit scared of letting go of this horse.’ She laughed wryly now.

Finan’s free arm snaked around her waist and held her against him firmly. She could feel his thighs against her rear, his stomach and chest against her back. ‘I would never let ya fall.’

Gwen coughed slightly uncomfortable about their closeness but released the mane and raised her arms behind her head. Deftly with years of practice she plaited her unruly hair and then tucked it under and in on itself creating a bun. It probably wouldn’t hold for long but it should do. She lowered her arms and wrapped her fingers around the horses hair again.

Finan’s arm didn’t leave her waist though. It rested there like it had always been there. He didn’t seem to care or be too inclined to move it. Gwen shuffled slightly moving ever so slightly forward to get some space so she could breathe.

After some time. Her butt still sore and getting sorer. Her legs falling asleep. She asked Finan how long it would take to get to Wincantcaester?

‘We might get there late tomorrow afternoon. We’ll stop soon for the night. The sun is getting low.’

Gwen nodded. She yawned as the sun was getting lower in the sky. It had been a hell of a day. With the swaying of the horse beneath her and the warmth behind her she was finding her energy leaving her body. She yawned softly again. Soon she found her eyes closing softly against her own volition. Her head kept nodding and she kept starting awake. As she started nodding again she felt some pressure on her middle, pulling her back slightly into warmth. Without really being aware of it Gwen’s head went back slightly and rested on Finan’s shoulder.

Gwen awoke sometime later to a gentle squeeze of her waist and her name breathed into her ear. She jumped violently and balled her hands into fists.

‘It’s alright, it’s alright.’ The arm around her waist steadied her and the voice calmed her. Gwen rubbed at her eyes with her fists trying to wake herself properly. She lent forward and the arm allowed her to move away, she turned her body and head to look at him.

‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I really didn’t mean to wake like that.’ Gwen was mortified. Mostly because of how she had been sleeping. Leaning her whole body into Finan and resting her head on his shoulder. Mortifying but also safe.

Always with that gentle smile. ‘It’s no problem. Except that we’re gonna be stopping soon. I thought you would want to be awake to dismount.’

‘Ahh fuck.’ Gwen grimaced. Of course she was going to have to dismount. Her arse was numb and her legs were worse.

Finan looked at her puzzled at her vernacular. But probably caught the gist of what she was thinking. He seemed to be able to read her even though they had not known each other long.

True to his word Finan knew what was coming next. Uhtred called a halt in a clearing off the path they were on. Said Irish man dismounted gracefully like every other man in the group. Gwen’s fingers tightened in the horses mane and she looked down at him with fear.

‘Bring ya leg forward over the neck so that ya are facing towards me. I’ll take ya by the waist and help ya down.’ Gwen looked at him skeptically. But sighed resigned and did as he said.

His strong hands encircled her waist, she steadied her hands on his shoulders, took a deep breath and slid from the saddle. Her feet hit the ground and her knees buckled instantly. She didn’t fall though, the hands at her waist steadied her, held her firmly upright.

Gwen found herself looking up into finan’s eyes (again). He was nearly a head taller than her. ‘Oh fuck it.’ And she laughed.

‘There is that word again. Will ya tell me what it means?’ He looked at her, his eyes teasing.

‘Maybe one day.’ She teased herself.

‘If you are done holding on to our healer Finan. Can you help set up camp?’ Uhtred called over his horse as he was unloading his bed roll.

Gwen’s face instantly turned red and Finan laughed. ‘Aye I can though it is a burden.’ He gently removed his hands, hovering to make sure she had her legs now. Gwen nodded at him and shooed him away with a flick of her wrists. She walked around the clearing to stretch out her legs. As she came back to the horses she took her bed roll from Finan. There was still some light sifting through the forest. It was the height of summer so the sun was slow in setting. She set her bed roll as directed. Took her saex and bundled the under garments under her arm. She then walked to Uhtred.

‘Lord, I require some privacy. I will move away from the camp but I won’t go too far.’ Uhtred nodded and Gwen went off into the woods. 

She made sure she went in a straight line and took notice of landmarks. She only walked for about 5 minutes. When she got to where she felt comfortable, she removed her saex and pushed it’s blade into the ground. She then unwound her belt placing it next to the blade and took off her dress, folded it and placed it on the belt. She then took the under garments that she had placed on the ground and held them up. A pair of bloomer type shorts and a vest with a string tie neck opening and a tie at the waist as well. She said a quiet thank you to Hild as she put these on. 

As she sat down with one leg crossed over the other she was glad they were roomy and not tight. They would work perfectly. She rested her forearms on her knees, closed her eyes and started to breathe deeply and slowly. After a couple of minutes she started to stretch out her neck, then her arms, legs and body in turn. She then performed 5 rounds of sun salutations. She was finishing in corpse pose and was just hitting that sweet spot of floaty bodily calm when she heard a twig snap. Her hand grabbed the handle of the saex and she was crouching in a defensive pose as quick as she had opened her eyes. Those eyes then focused on Finan’s form in the gloom.

‘For fucks sakes Finan!’ Gwen stood up from crouching and breathed heavily. ‘You scared the fucking shit out of me.’ It was then that she remembered that she was in under garments. Finan must have clocked onto her realisation as he turned his back and cleared his throat.

‘I did not understand much of what ya just said but I’m sorry if I frightened you. Uhtred bade me come find ya.’ His back was still facing Gwen as she came up to his side. He looked down at her with appreciation in his eyes.

‘Oh yeah? How long had you been standing there?’ Was that a blush? Had Finan just blushed? Gwen gave a tiny half smile.

‘I saw ya doing some movements and then ya laid down like you were going to sleep. You stayed that way for a while so I thought maybe ya had until I moved and you shot up like you’d been stung by a bee.’ He angled his head in the direction of the camp. They started walking.

‘Hmmm ok. If you must know I was stretching and contemplating my existence. It’s like prayer but physical.’

‘Certainly looked it.’ He had a smirk on his face and a far away look to his eyes. She gave him a slight thump on his arm as they walked into the camp..


	6. Of fighting and potential spinsterhood

The evening wore on and they were all sat round the fire. Gwen was sat next to Sihtric and a large man called Clappa, feeling like she needed space from Finan. Riding on a horse with him all day left her feeling over sensitive and confused. Said Irish man was sitting next to Sihtric with Uhtred next to him and a couple of other men between Uhtred and Clappa.

They had had a meal of bread, dried meat and fruit. The men were drinking ale but Gwen felt better just drinking water. She was in a strange place, at a strange time, with a bunch of strange men. She wanted a clear head. Just in case. Gwen was often partial to a drink but she knew that with her heightened sense of awkwardness would make her drink too much and probably make a fool of herself. No one needed to see that.

Uhtred had been talking about something or other. Gwen hadn’t been paying much attention but then he directed a question at her. Sihtric gave her a slight nudge to get her attention.

‘Sorry?’ She said with confusion.

‘I asked, Gwen, where you learned to fight as you do?’ Uhtred asked patiently.

The truth was that Gwen had always been interested in martial arts, just as she loved yoga. She had taken classes on various skills including using a knife. She’s also done some archery in the past as well but not enough to have any amount of skill with it. Bodily activity also kept her mind clear. She cleared her throat. ‘I am the youngest of 6 children. The only girl amongst 5 boys. It was beat or be beaten. That’s where it started. And then it just grew from there.’ That seemed to satisfy the men as they were nodding their heads. It was true, her brothers had given her her earliest lessons in fighting.

Uhtred though wanted more so he continued. ‘Did your mother approve?’

Gwen bent her head looking at the ground between her outstretched legs. She pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders. ‘My mother died when I was very young and for a long time it was just my father, my brothers and I. My dad decided not to treat me any differently to the boys. Well that was until my father remarried. By then it was too late.’ She gulped down the pain that raged in her throat. At the memories but also at the knowledge she would probably never see them again. She didn’t know what had brought her to this time and place. It defied logic, she still felt that it was likely to be a dream or delusion but it was best to go with it and not fight against it.

Gwen rose to her feet. ‘I am tired.’ And left to find her bedroll. She went a little way past it and relieved herself. Then tucked herself down into the furs and sheep skins. She kept the saex near her head, easy to grasp. She closed her eyes but knew that sleep was a long way off. She listened to the sounds of the camp, hoping they would lull her off to sleep. She could hear gentle laughter from the fire and the lilt of the Irish accent. Finan was talking, he seemed to be telling a story. His voice was deep and warm. It was what lulled her into sleep. Her last thought being ‘oh fuck’.

She woke with a start and grabbed the saex. But as her hammering heart calmed and her breathing steadied she remembered where she was. And where she wasn’t. She was no longer prisoner, played and toyed with. She hadn’t been raped but it had come close a few times and she could feel the hands and breath on her. She also saw the faces and last gasps of the men she had killed.

She was wide awake now. She sat up and looked towards the dim fire. Someone was sitting there, alert and watching outwards. She doubted they could see anything but knew they were listening. She could tell by the outline that it was Finan. That body was imprinted on her mind and her own body. She was screwed. She needed to stop thinking about him. 

She needed to stop but instead she got up out of the bed and wandered over to the fire. He looked up at her as she approached concern etched on his face.

‘Shouldn’t ya be sleeping?’ He whispered to her signalling she should also whisper. She plopped herself down next to him and poked the blade into the earth next to her left knee.

‘Should be but can’t.’ She sighed looking him in the eye. His expression questioning. ‘Bad dreams. Felt trapped. Felt violated. Woke up and saw you sitting here so thought you might want company. Are you keeping watch?’ That was a stupid question but she had run out of ideas.

He smiled at her indulgently. ‘Yeah. It is an important task. You should be sleeping despite your dreams. The road was long and ya said so yerself, you hadn’t slept well previously.’

‘I guess but stupid here fell asleep on the road so probably fucked up my sleep.’ She was untangling the plaited bun that was now a knotted bun in her hair. It had stayed but it was being fucking difficult to get out. As she was combing her hair through a curl escaped her grasp and Finan reached for it gently twining it round his fingers. Gwen nearly stopped breathing but decided not to even acknowledge it.

‘Ya were only asleep for a short time. You keep saying that word ‘fuck’ or variations of it. Will ya tell me what it means yet.’ He let the curl drop from his fingers and looked into her eyes when she raised her head after finishing the detangling.

‘Oh it means ... erm ... well it means a few things. For instance ‘fucked up’ either means something was done to you that messed you up or someone has messed something up. ‘Fuck and fucking’ can mean like exasperation like ‘oh for fucks sake’ or ‘are you fucking kidding me.’ Erm they can also mean erm.’ Gwen blushed this turn of conversation might be a dangerous path. ‘It can also mean what happens between a man and a woman.’

Finan has been listening lazily and then his whole body seemed to sharpen, and he looked at her with one eyebrow raised and a wicked smile on his lips.

‘Are ya married?’ 

Gwen was not expecting that. She choked on her own breath. ‘What the fuck? No. No I’m not married.’

‘Ah ya just speak so openly and you’re old enough I had wondered.’

‘Hmmm.’ Gwen scowled at the ground. This time was different to her own. She knew. She had studied some history and feminism too. She knew a woman’s worth at this time. She would probably be considered somewhat past it when it came to marrying even if she was only 25.

‘I was only asking.’ 

‘Oh well you got your answer. Maybe you’re right and I am tired.’ She got up and stalked back to her bed roll. A little while later she heard footsteps stop at her head. Gently they placed the handle in of the saex in her hand. 

‘I am sorry if I offended ye.’ He said lightly. And the footsteps retreated. Her anger dissipated with the feel of the saex and the knowledge that Finan brought it to her knowing she would not sleep well without it. She tucked it under the skin her head was lying on and closed her eyes. Eventually she found sleep.


	7. Ode to coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a short one with more horse riding shenanigans

The group were saddled up and on the road early in the morning. Gwen had gotten into the saddle (with Finan’s help) slightly more gracefully than the previous day or so she felt. Finan was giving her space this morning. Or what could be considered space on horseback together. He was holding onto the reigns with both hands and keeping slightly back from her. Gwen felt bad about it. Not that she wanted him to touch her, just that he felt he had to be cautious.

It was mornings like this Gwen missed coffee. She had been a complete addict, drinking at least three cups a day but usually more. They had started really early and Gwen was not a morning person at all. Not having slept very well either she was bleary eyed and yawning.

On her third yawn in however many minutes she let out an exasperated sigh and let go of the horse’s mane to rub at her eyes. She moved so forcefully that she slipped slightly in the saddle, off to one side but Finan’s arm stiffened and took her weight as she righted herself. 

Heart pounding she gulped in air. If she hadn’t been completely awake before she was now. She giggled nervously. ‘I’m gonna have to learn how to ride a horse. Fuck my life.’ She said this more to herself than anyone but Finan has heard.

‘Aye. As much as I like ya sitting in front of me it is a bit of an arse ache.’

Gwen guffawed at that and laughed harder than she had done in days. Tears were streaming down her face and she couldn’t stop herself. She snorted slightly and heard (felt) Finan chuckle behind her. She sobered when she realised everyone was looking at her.

‘God I miss coffee.’ She said wistfully after a time in silence.

‘What’s that?’ Finan asked curiously.

‘It’s a drink of my land. Hot, though you can drink it cold. Bitter. A stimulant. It’s heaven. I miss it. Oh and chocolate. Chocolate is sweet and creamy, delicious. I miss ice cream, which is like frozen custard. It’s a good job there is cheese and alcohol.’ Gwen trailed off. There was a lot that she missed but was there any use dwelling on it.

They rode on in silence. After a while Finan spoke. ‘Sometimes I miss my homeland.’

‘Ireland?’

‘Aye.’

‘Will you ever return?’ She could feel Finan hesitate at her back, he stiffened slightly. ‘You don’t have to answer. It’s ok.’

Finally he sighed. ‘There is nothing to return for.’

Gwen hummed an acknowledgement of his answer. She started fiddling with the horses main. Wrapping it around her fingers and then letting it fall loose.

Finan settled again and asked easily. ‘And you don’t believe you’ll ever return to your homeland?’

Gwen sighed wistfully. ‘I don’t think I can. I don’t know how I got here. I don’t know where here is relative to home. I’m stuck here. But here got a damned sight better after beating your arse.’ She smiled despite the melancholy she was feeling.

‘I let ya win.’ He chuckled.

‘I know. Good job the brothers didn’t catch on.’ And they rode on in silence again.


	8. Wincantcaester

They finally made it to Wincantcaester, smaller than Lunden and plainer Gwen was still in awe at the otherworldliness of it. Again she felt so out of time. They stopped the horses outside of an Inn and Finan helped her again with getting down from the horse. Gwen ran her fingers through her hair, trying to tame the sheer out of controlledness of it. She had so much of it and it was so curly that the small wind they had experienced on the road had made it poof out and seem even bigger. She finally decided to just split the hair in two and twist it together so it sat on her shoulder.

Uhtred came to stand next to Gwen. ‘We will have to go and see Alfred and tell him our account of what happens. Aethelred and Aldhelm are already here no doubt telling their version.’

He started to walk and she followed him. Into the home of the man who would be known as Alfred The Great. Uhtred unsheathed his sword and his saex placing them in a wrack. He turned to a giant of a man. ‘Steapa my old friend.’ They clasped forearms in a friendly manner but as Gwen went to follow Uhtred into the hall Steapa stopped her with a hand on the shoulder. Gwen tensed and balled her fists but Uhtred said jovially. ‘Steapa this is a friend, someone I freed from Lunden. Like Father Pyrlig.’

Steapa gave Gwen the once over. She was not happy about that and gave him a stern eye in return. In the end though he smiled and waved them through.

As the entered the hall Gwen saw that Uhtred was right and that Aethelred and Aldhelm were already in the presence of the King. They stopped talking when Uhtred walked up the aisle of the hall to face Alfred. Gwen stood off to one side a couple of steps behind Uhtred. She wished the ground would swallow her. Anything but what she thought might happen here.

What she was worried about was that Uhtred would tell the story of how she came to be. Aethelred and Aldhelm would blame Uhtred for losing Lunden at such an easy price. And Alfred would be pissed. It pretty much played out that way. Alfred was mighty pissed. Thinking I was a spy and Uhtred was a traitor because the Brother’s called him ‘the next king of Mercia’.

Well that was wrong. And I felt a compulsion to say so. ‘Please Sir. May I speak in my defence as I am accused of being a spy?’

Alfred looked at Gwen for the first time, like he hadn’t even noticed she was in the room before now. Alfred was rake thin and pale to the point of being grey. She was sure something afflicted him but wasn’t sure what.

He nodded and Gwen plucked up the courage to continue. ‘Lord, I was taken by the brother’s and kept captive for days maybe even a week before Lord Uhtred came to Lunden. I survived purely because I fought as hard as I could, practically savage in my desperation. They saw me as a toy, a play thing to make fight because it was sport to them. I’m sure if I had lost that day I would be dead by now or worse. I am grateful that Lord Uhtred was sent by you to Lunden that day and I can say with surety that the Brother’s would not have given up Lunden had I lost as I am, was nothing to them. No prize worth keeping just a plaything.’ Gwen gulped back the emotion that played out in her voice. ‘Lord they would not have left because I am worthless which is why they even honoured my freedom. I am nothing and I am certainly not a spy for them. I am but a healer.’

Alfred looked deeply into Gwen’s face. His eyes searching hers. She held his gaze not giving into temptation to look away. She willed all of her honesty and grief into her face. ‘I believe your story. But I cannot forget what Uhtred has not revealed here today.’ He dropped her gaze and turned back to Uhtred. ‘You will leave and return to Coccham.’

Uhtred looked confused and then indignant. But her turned and left with Gwen trailing after him. They did not stay in Wincantcaester after that and made their way back to Coccham.


	9. Stargazing

When they returned to Coccham Gwen was situated in a small thatched lodging consisting of two rooms. One with a table and chairs, and a fire place. The other with a palate bed and straw mattress. She had things that she needed to live and to practice as a healer. Hild gave her some more clothes until she could get the means to make some herself and a leather satchel to carry bandages, needles and thread, herbs and a pestle and mortar around as needed. Finan gave her a scabbard for her saex. She always seemed to have food and she wondered if it was due to him.

Gwen was outside of the village walls scouring the wooded areas for plants and herbs that she recognised about thought about returning to the village as she had been gone a while but she was on the hunt for willow bark. She’d already gathered wild garlic, some to dry and some with roots intact to transplant to the small patch of earth outside her home, and some elder. She would ask Hild if she knew how Gwen could get hold of some other plants like chamomile, lavender, lemon balm and mint maybe even some calendula for her ‘herb garden’.

Having located the willow bark and harvested a good portion Gwen made her way back to the village. She decided to go to the hall and see what was happening. As she went in her eyes took in the room, she slipped past the door and skirted round to a seat off to one side. Æthelred was here with Aldhelm and Steapa. There was a little man who was mouthing off a bit. Gwen didn’t like his attitude or his face much. Sometimes you just got a feeling about someone.

Her eyes found Finan he was spearing a shield, a moment later he deftly caught a sword that Uhtred tossed to him. Apparently they were going to attack Lunden and fight the brother’s men. Gwen’s eyes lingered on Finan who turned slightly and met her eyes. Quickly she moved her gaze away. She had to stop doing that, stop thinking about him, stop searching him out every time she was in the same room. She was a stranger here. Her situation precarious. Whatever force brought her here could easily take her again. She should form no attachments. Her brain whispered that it was fruitless to do so but she felt stubborn about it.

The meeting having finished everyone left to start packing and preparing for the journey. Uhtred turned and saw that Gwen was about to leave the hall. ‘Gwen you will join us, we will be in need of a healer after the battle. Most likely.’ He took in the apprehensive nature of the look on her face. ‘You will not fight Gwen we will leave you in the camp with Thyra and Aethelflaed.’ Gwen nodded and left.

She went to Hild’s house to ask her for other herbs that would do well in her kit, cloth for bandages and swabs, and how to get her hands on purified fat and honey. Hild helped her with all her requests. They filled her main bag with essentials and packed the bandages in another bag. Gwen thanked her and then went to settle for the night.

She couldn’t sleep. She kept thinking about Lunden and going back there. Of course she wouldn’t be going back to the Brothers but what if the joint efforts of Wessex and Mercia didn’t succeed. She tossed and turned for a bit. She got up did some yoga poses but her heart wasn’t in it and her mind wouldn’t settle. On nights like this she would usually go for a jog back home. 

She finally left her home and walked out into the darkness. She walked not really thinking of anything and soon she was staring at the starlit sky. The moon was bright but hardly diminished the blazing heavens. Next to the moon she could see Venus. Brighter than she had even seen it in her time.

‘Stargazing?’

Gwen jumped at Finan’s voice. The moon was that bright she could see his face clearly and he was smiling warmly at her. She couldn’t stay angry at the jump. ‘It’s beautiful.’

‘Hmmm’ he hummed in acknowledgement as he moved alongside her. He was watching her face as she was staring at the sky. She had a beautiful face. ‘You should be sleeping.’

‘That seems to be the only thing you say to me lately.’ Gwen said not taking her eyes from Venus. She could see from the corner of her eye that Finan was studying her and not looking at the sky.

‘And ya never listen.’ He wondered and not for the first time, if she might ever let her guard down. It was too soon from being a captive he knew for her to feel comfortable but he wished her to feel welcome and safe in Coccham, and among it’s people.

Gwen wondered why he was staring at her. It was making her slightly nervous. Not because she thought he would do something just that the attention made her think of times in Lunden where men gave her similar attention but did do something. Pointing out Venus to change the subject and divert attention ‘That’s a planet, not a star.’ Glancing at Finan’s quizzical expression. ‘A world like ours. Except it is close to the sun and has no life on it because it is so hot.’

Finan looked perturbed at that. ‘Is that what your people believe?’

Gwen giggled. Yes it would seem that way. ‘I suppose you could say that. That it is that way because we believe it.’

‘Do ya believe in God?’ Finan was interested in any information about her that she would part with. She hadn’t talked about her beliefs except for calling the movements she did in the wood a type of prayer. It had been like nothing he’d seen before, graceful, peaceful and elegant.

Gwen thought for a moment. No one had asked her beliefs since arriving in Coccham. She was never questioned about not attending church. So should she reveal that part of herself. ‘I don’t know.’

‘Is your land Christian?’ Finan wanted to know more of her homeland. Where it was, what it was like. 

‘Parts. Some people are more than others. I was christened as a baby but I don’t know if I believe. I don’t attend church, I don’t pray like a Christian but I try to live a good life.’ Gwen was worried to share this part of herself as people (apart from Danes) seemed to be quite pious.

Finan nodded and just accepted what she had said. She supposed he lived with Danes so he must be accepting. Also though she knew he wore a cross and prayed he didn’t seem that pious himself. Gwen turned ‘I probably should sleep we have a long journey back to Lunden.’

Finan caught hesitance and fear in her voice though he knew she tried to hide it. ‘Not back. You’ll never go back to that.’ She met his eyes with a look, quizzical and yearning for truth. He gently touched his fingers to hers, just slightly, not enough to make her think he would do more.

She gulped. The touch had felt like a static shock. ‘I know.’ She smiled at him and went back to her home.


	10. Lunden

They set up camp about a mile outside of Lunden and it was early morning when the men rode off. Some men were left as guards but mostly it was women. Aethelflaed was there but she hadn’t come out of her tent yet. Thyra was up and working alongside Gwen to prepare for when the men returned. She found that she enjoyed Thyra’s company, she hardly spoke but knew exactly what was needed. Quiet but with a sturdy force about her. Food was cooking on fires and Gwen had set water to boil for cleaning.

Thyra suddenly became preoccupied with something in the distance. Gwen humming to herself a tune from her own time failed to notice her face drop and only paid attention when Thyra started screaming. Looking to where Thyra had been facing Gwen saw the hoard of men racing towards the camp. Her heart became icy with dread but she had already drawn her saex, bending at the waist she cut the skirt of her dress off at the knees so that she could run better.

Thyra was screaming ‘death is coming!’ at the top of her lungs and now had found a bell to help rouse the camp. Gwen left her stuff and went running, saex still in hand to Aethelflaed’s tent. Thyra followed after her calling the Lady’s name. Soon though they were over run with Danes, slaughtering the guards and taking women. Gwen stopped running and scoped out the best course of action while Thyra carried on to the tent. Just as she was turning to run again a sword swung at her head. She had just enough time to bend herself backwards, the momentum kept her moving forward and she skidded on her heels into the man swinging, saex piercing his belly to one side as she passed by him. She pulled it viciously, righted herself and started running again.

Gwen made it to Aethelflaed‘s tent as Thyra and her were running to the woods. Another woman joined them and they ran. They knew there were people behind them Gwen especially was acutely aware that if they were caught it would be bad. She slowed and shouted to the others to keep going. She spun then and started running at the man on the right. His blade was held high and he started to charge in her direction. Gwen veered off to the right before he met her, though something must have connected because there was white hot pain at her left shoulder. She turned quickly, caught up to him as his momentum had kept him going forward and stabbed him through the neck ripping the blade out the side.

It made the others stop for a moment. She didn’t stop to think or to worry about what was happening to the others. She had bought them a few seconds to get further away, she started running in the opposite direction to Aethelflaed, Thyra and the other woman. Two of the five remaining men started after her while the others carried on chasing their prize. Gwen would never out run them, never over power them and the element of surprise was gone now. She would never get away. 

She thought about ending it rather than getting caught when she spied an oak tree. Though she despised heights she knew it was her best chance. She sheathed her saex, leapt at the trunk and started climbing. A hand grabbed her foot but she easily kicked it off. Her legs were scraped from running in the under brush, no the insides were getting scratched by the bark of the tree and as she got as far up as was warranted she moved to stand out on a branch, she scraped the length of her outer thigh on a broken branch. 

Wincing she looked down. She started to feel dizzy but grasped on to the branch above her for dear life. The men were gone. Things were eerily quiet. She couldn’t hear anything but some faint cries. Blood was making a trail down her leg. Exhausted beyond belief she sat down on the branch with her back to the trunk, hoping she wouldn’t fall asleep and topple out of the tree. 

Time passed and she wondered what had happened to Uhtred and his men, what had happened to Finan. Were they all dead? Had they been massacred by the Danes before they had turned their attention to the camp? No it had been too soon. Likely the Brothers had led their men out of the city, it had been a trap. 

Succumbing to the urge Gwen shut her eyes and leaned her head back against the tree. After a while she started awake, what had caused that, she didn’t feel like she had been slipping. That’s when she heard someone screaming Thyra’s name. Was that Uhtred’s priest friend? Thyra’s husband? Such anguished screams, over and over. Then she heard men calling for Aethelflaed. Gwen sighed heavily and slowly got to her feet. The jagged scrape on her leg was burning like a son of a bitch. With another sigh resigned that she was going to have to get down from where she was, she started making her way out of the tree.


	11. The aftermath

Finan was scanning through the camp, keeping his face stoic. Hoping Gwen wasn’t among the dead. Hoping somehow she wasn’t among the taken either. He had said she would never go back to being captive, and he had meant it but could never have predicted this. He knew she was resourceful and could hold her own but there had probably been many men. 

Beocca was screaming for Thyra, Uhtred standing behind him. Aethelred’s men and Steapa were shouting for Aethelflaed. Finan kept scanning. Suddenly someone was shouting Beocca’s name. It was Thyra. There was a flurry of activity. Thyra in Beocca’s arms, people asking her about Aethelflaed.

Finan’s heart jumped slightly. If Thyra was alive and not taken then there was hope for Gwen. He wondered why it meant so much to him and put it down to feeling protective of her wellbeing. Being an ex-slave he felt an affinity to her captivity. He was still contemplating as he was watching Beocca and Thyra embracing when movement caught his eye.

Coming out of the tree line behind and to the left of them was a bedraggled Gwen. Blood running down one leg, dress torn and bloodied at her left shoulder. Blood covering her hands, dirt all over, dress cut off at the knees, dozens of scrapes and her glorious hair tumbling, escaping from the wooden pin that held it. She looked like she was about to fall but determined legs moved her forward and a relieved look on her face showed for everyone to see.

Uhtred started towards her and Finan followed, glowering, vibrating with rage at the bastards that did all this. Uhtred reached her first. ‘Gwen? What happened?’

She looked at him, swaying on her feet. ‘They came. They came, we fought, some died, most were taken I assume.’

She was still swaying, nearly keeling over but Finan grabbed her arm gently to steady her. She jumped and flinched away from him but then she looked into his eyes and leaned into his body. He wrapped his arm gently around her waist steadying her but trying not to put pressure on the wounded shoulder leaning against him. He parted the cloth slightly to look at the wound. ‘It’s not deep.’ He heard her say in a soft and tired voice. His face relaxed slightly.

‘What happened to Aethelflaed? Where is she?’ Aethelred had come bustling over. The vehemence in his voice made Gwen jump again. Finan held her slightly tighter and glared at the Lord of Mercia. Uhtred also glared at him.

‘Did you not get your answers from Thyra?’ Uhtred said.

‘I am asking this one too. How is it she and the other one have survived unscathed?’

‘Unscathed? Have ya not even looked at her?’ Finan spat angrily.

Gwen put her hand on the one that was at her waist and squeezed it. Looking Aethelred square in the eye she repeated what she had said to Uhtred and added ‘When Thyra saw them coming she started screaming. I started running for Aethelflaed’s tent. I killed one of the men and then with Thyra, Aethelflaed and another Woman we ran for the woods. I knew we couldn’t outrun them so I decided to buy the others time. I turned, attacked and killed one then ran in the opposite direction hoping they would chase me. But I wasn’t their prey. They split up. 2 chased me 3 continued to chase the others. I ran until I knew I couldn’t escape them, then climbed a tree.’

Gwen was shaking uncontrollably by the end of her story. Finan was about to say that it was enough when she took a breath. ‘I didn’t see anything else just heard some distant cries until I heard Beocca.’

Aethelred huffed off with a disgusted look on his face. Uhtred was looking at Gwen with concern and Finan looked like he wanted to kill something with his bare hands. ‘I need my kit bags if they aren’t ruined.’ Gwen untangled herself from Finan’s grasp and started to walk in the direction of the tent she had set up the healing equipment. She was limping slightly. Finan walked after her to aid her but he was starting to realise she didn’t need it but also that she wouldn’t take it. Her shoulders were hunched and her arms were hugging her body.

They reached the tent, tables had been knocked over and everything was in disarray. Luckily the bandages and cloths were still in their closed bag so remained clean. The other stuff, most of the packets of herbs, a small jar of honey were crushed. The needles and thread were salvageable if cleaned. Gwen bent to pick up the bag with the bandages but felt Finan take it from her hand. She gave him a small tight smile. She then picked up the other bag and put the salvaged stuff in it.

‘Your wounds need looking at.’ Finan said close to her right shoulder. She turned slightly away at that. All the destruction, the death that was in the camp, the fate of those taken. Her wounds seemed pitiful.

‘They’ll wait.’ She was shifting her weight from her scraped leg to the other.

‘Ya killed two men. Ya couldn’t have done more.’ He said in a confident tone that Gwen did not agree with.

‘In the end I was only thinking of myself. I didn’t want to be taken. I would have died rather than be taken again. I thought I was buying her time but she was taken anyway.’ She dropped bag she was holding at her feet and folding her legs, she sat on the ground putting her head between her legs. After a moment she lowered herself back to the ground and stretched her legs out.

‘I’m sorry I just need a moment.’ She had her eyes closed and raised her hand waving it slightly. ‘Ugh fucking weak arse bitch.’

Finan took her fingers and chuckled. ‘Not weak, even the strongest get tired.’ Gwen opened one eye squinting up at him and nodded then closed her eyes again. He knelt down on one knee still holding on to her fingers. ‘How’d yer dress get like that?’

‘Like what?’ She said opening her eyes and looking down her body, lowered her head back to the ground and closed her eyes. She shrugged slightly. ‘Oh. As soon as I saw the Brother’s men coming I quickly cut it off at the knees so I could run easily.’

Finan squeezed her fingers. ‘Aye? That was clever. If not a bit indecent.’ He was studying the long, shapely, milky coloured legs noting every scratch and looking at the long ragged gash down one of them. He heard her huff out a breath and looked up to the smirk on her face. ‘I will leave ya here to rest while I go and see about Uhtred and the camp. I will come back for you.’ She nodded without opening her eyes and said nothing. Finan noticed tears falling from the corners of her eyes into the hairline at her temples. He resisted the urge to wipe them away and stood, taking one last look at the whole of her he left her where she lay.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fan fiction. Comments welcome. Kudos appreciated.


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